Closure for beverage coolers



cLosUnE Fon BEVERAGE coLEns Filed Aug. 15,` 19:56

POBERTH GUyrO/V f ffl/VENTO?? HT'raP/yfr Patented May 21, 1940 UNITED STATES CLOSURE FOR, BEVERAGE COOLERS Robert H. Guyton, River Forest, Ill., assigner to The BrunsWick-Balke-Collender Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporationof Delaware Application August 13,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved closure for beverage coolers and has for one oi its principal objects the provision of a closure for beverage coolers or the like which shall be simple 5 and efcient and which furthermore shall eliminate the use of hinges or similar structures which cause delay in serving and which also may possibly hinder the proper operation of the device.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a closure for beverage coolers or the like which comprises two slidable lid portions, together with means for enabling one lid or cover to be slid up and over the other, thereby providing a ready access to the interior of the beverage cooler or other cabinet and with particular reference to that portion of the cabinet which has been accordingly uncovered.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a beverage cooler or the like of a pair of slidable lids only one of which should be opened at a time, thereby assuring proper delivery of the cool beverage and also assuring a proper retention of cold and corresponding ingress of heat or hot air. y

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure for cabinets of various types which is simple in construction, easily operated and economically manufactured, while at the same time providing an attractive, feasible proposition from a commercial or sales standpoint.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawing and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing- Figure l is a top plan view of a portion of a beverage cooler or the like, showing the improved closure of this invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken along any representative line of Figure 1, showing the lids in closed position Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating the device in open position.

As shown in the drawing- The reference numeral I indicates generally the frame of the improved beverage cooler or other cabinet of this invention and it will be obvious that the closure device, or lids, herein described and disclosed, can-be readily applied to structures other than beverage coolers with possibly little or no change.

1936, Serial No. 95,826

The closure itself comprises a pair of doors or lids I 2 and I4, as shown, both mounted in a suitable recess H5 in the frame or cabinet ID vand which recess outlines the periphery of the tank or other receptacle for bottles to be cooled or any 5 other items which may be placed in the cabinet.

Extending transversely across the middle of the recessed opening is a bar or the like I8 which, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, is triangular in cross section and which has the edges of its 10 base slightly below the peripheral edges I6 of the recess closed by the covers. The covers are wedge-shaped at the ends adjacent the triangular element I8, as best shown at 20 in Figure 2, thereby adapting the same to readily slide up on the surface of the cross-piece I8 upon a simple inward pushing movement of either of the handles 22 which are mounted on the outer faces of the covers. These handles are at the rear ends of the covers, which ends are blunt, as shown, and it will be obvious that when the cover or lid I2 is pushed downwardly over the element I8 by means of its handle, it will override the lid or cover I4, nally assuming the position shown in Figure 3, whereupon the cabinet I0 will be 25 opened for insertion or removal of bottled beverages or other articles.

In the same manner when the lid I2 is in closed position, the opposite lid or cover I4 can be moved into over-riding position with respect to the cover I2, thereby opening the opposite end of the cabinet tank or other container. If desired, a notice may be placed on either one or other of the lids, indicating that one should be opened in preference to the other, thereby assuring the timely removal of properly cooled beverages rather than the undesired removal of beverages which may possibly be still warm on account of having been recently placed in the cabinet. This of course also applies to any other items which may be placed in a refrigerating cabinet for dispensing, or, broadly, to any class of articles which may be so placed in condition for segregated removal.

It will be evident that herein is provided a suitable closure for refrigerating and other cabinets, which on account of its simplicity and ease of operation will at all times assure proper disposal of the contents of the refrigerator or cabinet, and which, furthermore, is so easily operated that there is absolutely no possibility of its ever being inadvertently left open. The lids themselves may be made of metal or of wood enclosed with metal so that they will slide readily with respect to each other to the recesses; and the transverse wedge or triangular shaped element is preferably also of metal, fairly Well polished so as to guard as rnuch as possible against undue wear.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details in the construction varied throughout a wide range, without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my inventionl. A closure structure comprising a horizontally positioned frame having a substantially rectangular opening and parallel horizontal slideways formed along opposite sides thereof, two sliding covers adapted when side by side on said slideways substantially to close said opening and adapted to slide on said slideways, a bar extending across said opening between said slideways and secured thereto in a position to close a narrow opening between said covers when side by side, said bar having inclined surfaces throughout its length rising to a central ridge extending across the entire width of said opening and positioned slightly above the adjacent top surfaces of said covers, the inner edges of said covers being adjacent said bar and beveled along their under edges and throughout the width of each cover to provide surfaces substantially parallel to the adjacent surfaces on said bar, and handles projecting from the upper surface of said covers adjacent the outer edges thereof.

2. A closure structure comprising a horizontally positioned frame having a substantially rectangular opening and parallel horizontal ledges formed along opposite sides thereof, two sliding covers for said opening adapted to slide on said ledges and on one another, said covers when parted lying on said ledges in a common horizontal plane and slightly spaced apart, and a bar secured to said frame extending between said ledges centrally across said opening in a position to close a narrow opening between said covers when parted, said bar having portions formed with oppositely inclined surfaces rising to a central ridge and positioned slightly above the adjacent top surfaces of said covers, the inner edges of said covers being adjacent and having portions beveled along their under sides to provide cam surfaces thereon so that each cover, alternately, can slide up on the bar and onto the other cover ROBERT H. GUYTON. 

